Spaghetti In Tomato-Apple Sauce…Eat.Live.Be.

Actually. He was pretty gracious about it and let it seem like I was breaking up with him. But I think, deep down, we both knew what was really happening.

A classic, “it’s not you, it’s your insurance company” situation, if ever I’ve seen one. (And…trust me. I have much experience in the realm of my-insurance-company-won’t-cover-the-MRIs-for-my-FRACTURED-BONES woes.)

They were giving him trouble about covering my visits even though it is a new year and they are responsible for covering at least 25 visits per year.

So he looked me straight in the eye and said, “I’ll fight for you if you want me to. But you’re going to be fine without me. And don’t you think we should save these for when you rupture a tendon in a few months? Or something.”

His optimism was palpable.

And, really, what can a girl say to that other than. Okay.

Then, to really drive his point home, I ran my first race this weekend. Four miles. At an 8:08 min/mile pace.

I haven’t been that fast since…2009.

Ecstatic. Is the only word I have to describe this. Ec.Stat.Ic.

I would have jumped for joy except…I’m prohibited from jumping ever again for the rest of my life (stress fracture prevention rule numero uno according to Josh).

But let me remind you that tomatoes are fruits also. So you are always putting fruit in your tomato sauce. Whether you realize it or not.

The apples are grated into the sauce so their tart sweetness just kind of melts in with the tomato sauce flavor that we all know and love. But it’s the combination of them with the parmesan cheese that really gets you hooked. It’s almost like there’s a sweet/salty thing going on. But in a better-for-you-than-salted-caramel kinda way.

I can dig that.

PS – Thank you all for all of your support and sweet comments about my grandfather. My family and I really appreciate it and they mean so much to me.

PPS – If you live in NYC and ever have any physical therapist needs, then please let me know! My physical therapist specializes in running/lower body injuries and, being an athlete himself (two time marathoner and triathlete), understands the psyche of a runner (which is no trivial thing). I’ve had a LOT of bad physical therapists in my life and know how life-and-leg altering a good one can be.

Eat.Live.Be. Update.

Even though I can’t necessarily always SEE the results, my race this weekend proves that they’re there. I have to remember that it’s not about a number on a scale but about healthiness and fitness. It’s going to happen. I’ll get back to where I want to be. Step by step. Little by little.

And here’s a funny link that my physical therapist actually posted on facebook. Top 10 Ways to Get Skinny Fat. I agree with all except the vegan diet thing. And weight watchers. But I think that’s because you can do weight watchers two ways – by eating all of your points in real healthy foods or by eating all of your points in hershey’s bars and McDonalds. I do the former and I think they’re talking about the latter.

Spaghetti in Tomato-Apple Sauce
Serves 4, adapted from Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy

Ingredients

1 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

1 lb Granny Smith apples (or other tart, firm apple)

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

Instructions

Pour the canned tomatoes into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

Put the olive oil in a skillet and set it over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until wilted and beginning to caramelize.

Stir in the pureed tomatoes, season with the salt, and heat to a bubbling simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or so. As the tomatoes perk, peel and core the apples and remove the seeds. Shred them, using the coarse holes of a grater (or using your food processor attachment).

When the tomatoes have cooked about 5 minutes, stir the apples into the sauce. Heat again to a simmer and cook the sauce, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has reduced and thickened and the apple shreds are cooked and tender.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop in the spaghetti. Cook until barely al dente. Lift the spaghetti from teh water, let drain for a moment, and drop it into the warm sauce.

Toss pasta with sauce for a minute or two. Turn off the heat, sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta, and toss well. Heap pasta in warm bowls and serve immediately.

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.

A break-up you can feel good about! I’m actually trying out a pasta dish tonight that calls for apples and apple juice, so there you go. It sounded strange, but comes from a trusted source. I believe you both. And if it’s bad, I have a tiny bit of cookie dough dip left to wash it down with.

I’m a little behind and missed the post about your grandfather. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I have to say that your EAT.LIVE.BE. post touched home with me… I have to remember that I won’t be able to visibly see things just yet, but remember that I’m improving my healthy and fitness in other ways that I can feel rather than see. And AWESOME job on that race! One day, I hope to get to a 10 min mile… still working on that though.

From all this I concluded that insurance companies are the same everywhere! So, as long as you make such beautiful dishes, forget about them and just concentrate on what really matters here, this pasta!

I have never heard of apples in my tomato sauce. How intriguing. So exited for you regarding your run. That’s awesome!!! Btw…this is the only blog I read without ANY skimming. I love your writing. Every post and I truthfully don’t know how you do it.

Great blog, I love your recipes and post!I´m your new follower.I invite you to visit my blog, I hope you enjoy it.I have a google traslator, so you can read without problems!Kisses from Spain ^^http://janakitchen.blogspot.com

Without your description, I’m not sure I would have tried this. But now I have to. I really like the idea of naturally sweetening a sauce with apple, and good point about the fruit thing. 🙂 Sorry about your physical therapist. Here’s to hoping you won’t be needing him again any time soon! Congratulations on your fast run-that’s impressive!! YOU are impressive. Well done.

Yay, congrats- that’s so awesome! I never had any doubt. And I love the thought of eating pasta for joy =) This sounds wonderful and yeah, when you stop to think about it, it’s not really that “odd” of a combination. I like it.

Awesome time on that run! The sauce sounds good with the apples. I so will try it. I’m making your chickpea version of the green goddess enchiladas tonight, a little scared of the kale sauce as I have no idea how much kale to use but I’ll figure it out. 🙂

Red sauces aren’t my favourite so I feel like I should really try out this sauce with the apple and see if it will win me over! Congrats on the 8:08 min mile!! That’s really awesome. 🙂 And thanks for your thoughts about what speed I should run on the treadmill. I started at 4.5 MPH (way too slow), tried 5.3 and 5.5 (knee started to hurt a bit) so I’ve settled on 5 MPH. Not too fast but fast enough for me to hopefully work my way up to running regularly. 🙂

First of all, I can’t wait to put apples in my next tomato sauce! Second, way to go with the whole running thing! And I am SO sorry about your grandfather. Best wishes, from my heart. God bless,Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

I LOVE this idea! Definitely going to give it a try, but I will probably have to keep the part about the apples a secret until after my husband and tried and decided he likes it. Otherwise he will turn up his nose.

Wow! Congratulations on your great run time 🙂 I love to walk, but avoid running like the plague, so I appreciate anyone who actually enjoys it! Great addition to your pasta sauce, too. I always add a little sugar to mine for some sweetness, but I love this idea!

Congrats on the great run, that’s fantastic! I’d love the sweet salty thing going on in the sauce. I’d like it right now if I could, it looks delicious. But glad the apple is grated and just adds flavor, not sure about a chunky apple tomato sauce for me.

Apple? In tomato sauce? Kind of amazing … I have to try that. I am no stranger from using fruit in all sorts of dishes that it wouldn’t usually be found. Love the complexity it brings. Sorry (congrats?) about your breakup!

Great post – as usual, love your writing and have mixed feelings about the breakup… always sad to take a break from someone special… but great news about getting stronger and congrats on the race. And thanks for another delicious pasta for Presto Pasta Nights.

i just know that the next physical therapist you get will be much better 🙂 still a bummer though. however, CONGRATS on the run, that had to feel amazing. i seriously feel rejuved and inspired every time i visit your blog. it really is about the small changes. and i completely agree about the WW thing. i was never as successful on the program when i was just getting my points. i had to actively monitor the types of food i was eating to lose the weight.

LOVE the pasta dish. i am so intrigued with the apples in there, delicious!

i’m pretty crazy about that sauce, joanne–adding apples is sneaky and i like it. meanwhile, when i read your posts, i hear a narrator in my head saying ‘like sands through an hourglass, these are the days of our lives…’ 🙂

We must be on the same wave length. I just made Stephanie Izard’s pasta ragu that has apples in it! Too funny. I must say, I am digging the addition of fruit in pasta sauce. It sounded a little strange at first, but one taste convinced me it’s genius.

as if your therapist knows that you’ll be back.i kind of like his humor you know?at least he’s not boring.and you promise me that the apple sauce will not make the spazzghetti soggy?’cause joanne i hate soggy/watery spazzghetti

I love your combinations, Joanne! I would have never have thought to put apple in my tomato sauce, but now that I see it I’m thinking it would really be good. With the parmesan, there’s that whole “cheese and apple” thing going on. Congratulations on a great run! 🙂

I am so sorry to hear about your grandfather. I missed that post initially. I’m glad that you’ve been surrounded by loved ones and friends who care about you. My memories of my own grandfathers are some of my most treasured ones.

Your physical therapist? He completely cracks me up. Love his humor. And your writing about it all. Enjoy the breakup for as long as it lasts.

Congrats on that marathon time!!! You are AMAZING! Way to go!

And last but NOT least, holy smokes, apples and tomatoes? I wouldn’t have gone there, uhm, ever. Now that you’ve described it though, I just put it on my list to try. Yes, I did. Have an awesome night and thanks for the recipe!

Your pile of spaghetti looks incredible! Adding apples to the tomato sauce is inspired – sadly, I’ve never seen or tried this before… I have featured this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup. Let me know if you have any objections and thanks for the inspiration

Joanne, I will fight for you to put fruit in your pasta sauce – nothing at all wrong with putting in sugar in a far less refined form than I usually do and with a whole lot more flavour – am bookmarking this for when apples are back in season and I have so many I don’t know what to do with them

You were too good for that therapist anyway. I heard when you weren’t around, he was seeing other clients, that dog. 😉

Apple and tomato, that’s not the first flavor pairing that comes to mind for me but hell, the BBQ freaks are putting apple, peaches, and such in bbq beans. I can see how it would work, very adventurous!

oh man did this post speak to me! i’ve had similar conversations with my physical therapist…he broke up with me too! 🙂 and i still give him a shout any time something starts to hurt and i freak out…he graciously lets me come in for free to check me out, and then sends me on my way with strict instructions to just start doing my exercises again. one of these days i’ll learn…

WOW, I’ve never seen anyone else use apples in their pasta sauce. My Mom makes one that she learned in cooking class as a young girl in New Zealand. She also adds a bit of sugar and red vinegar and we always put a nice cheddar on it as well. Mmm… sounds so yummy right now!